prologue

Today she saw him again, the shut in. He rarely ever ventures out of his apartment, only to take out the trash, check the mail or shopping. He has friends, but he never actually goes out to see them. They have to come to him. That's always how it's been, or how it seemed to be. Maybe something happened to him that caused him to completely forsake the outside world. She'd have to ask him about it if she ever worked up the courage to finally talk to him. Maybe today was the day….

She doubted it.

Why would someone like him to talk someone like her? She was just a nervous kid. Who on earth would be attracted to someone like that? Not him from what she could tell. This was all so frustrating! Why did she have to have this annoying ache at the pit of her stomach?

For now, all she could do was watch as he took out the trash and slowly return to his apartment building. 

Damnit! Oh well, there's always next time.

That's right; after all she had all the time in the world.